lol, I think Zinchenko called him that when speaking with Rio Ferdinand a few weeks ago and it caught on.
Wait, you think that’s the origin? 
No, a Rolls-Royce in football means a player that has no weakness. It’s another way of saying someone is impeccable.
oh right! 
lol I never heard the term used before hehe. Learn something new every day 
'Arry called Ferdinand a Rolls Royce of a defender back in the day - unsure who used it first though
Yea never heard the term before, personally if were comparing a footballer and a car I would go for a Toyota Hilux but I suppose it doesn’t have the same ring to it than a Rolls Royce
I believe the word goes beyond football as well. It’s used when people talk about things of the “highest quality”.
But it has become very popular in football. It’s mostly used for defenders. Every defender that looked to be total package in recent years has been called that by someone.
If you’re talking Julien Dicks maybe a HiLux is appropriate.
Yea they’re both hard bastards
I think that’s because he has a mistake in him. With Saliba, mistakes aren’t that often so when he does make a mistake, it’s easier to overlook.
Gabriel is a bloody good defender but this season Mikel is fine tuning the side and the margins between being picked for the first 11 and sitting on the bench are much finer than they have been, as it should be.
A superior scouting in the beginning and we just got him before his value pumps up.
He is easily a 100m player now.
If not for injuries, our backbone can compete on a really level for the next several years and no need to spend much.
It is how good we are right now.
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That’s the challenge that the commentators were saying was a stonewall penalty 
Speaking of penalties. We were incredibly lucky in end with Saliba completely losing Traore, attempting a last ditch tackle that he got completely wrong and if Traore just fell to the ground that would’ve been a pen and straight red to Saliba, out for the next 3 games.
Thankfully he did stay up and tried his luck against Ramsdale who saved it.
I hope this doesn’t become a pattern.
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A pattern for the team or for Saliba? And probaby doesnt happen like that ever again because refs never give a free kick for handball like that usually lol
Also would it be 3 games out for a red in that situation? Isn’t 3 games for violent conduct?
Two matches apparently, three for violent conduct.
Edit:
Actually, I have no clue.
There’s three variations. I think this may have fallen under he first, so one game man.
Denial of a goalscoring opportunity = 1 game ban. I didn’t see the tackle but thats what it sounds like to me.
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Traore rinsed him. At least we know Saliba is human.
Lad’s been the heartbeat of defense for 3 games and looks like peak Koscielny. Not that I consider him as bad as that recovery merchant but it’s getting rough.
It’s probably time for Mikel to revert back to the status quo of defense.
There’s only one consistently reliable Gabriel in this squad and he should be starting every game
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Been saying for weeks that Gabriel is by far our most consistent CB and should be starting every game.
People love the idea of Saliba, rather than analysing his game and seeing the mistakes he makes which could hurt us on another day.
Traore will do that to almost any defender when he gets that kind of space. I don’t blame Saliba at all.
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